Knights of the Old Republic III: Sith Empire
by Lord Spitfire
Summary: In the aftermath of Malachor's destruction, the galaxy must face the Threat of the True Sith, who have come to attack th egalaxy. LSM Revan and LSM Exile.
1. Exile Broken

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic III: Sith Empire 

Chapter One: Exile Broken

Jayarede, the Jedi Exile, walked the alleyways of the lower city on a stormy night. He wore his grey Jedi robe, hood pulled over, and double-bladed lightsaber slid inside his inner robe. He had dark skin, red ravaged eyes, and stubble all over his face, which was framed with slightly long black hair that was combed from the middle, and passed down his collar.

'The lives, all of the lives that make their presence on this world, they are . . . thriving. They do not feel suffering, most have never felt suffering. This is almost the opposite of Nar'Shaada. I have almost forgotten the powerful presence of this place' he thought to himself as he strolled down the walk-streets, feeling every speeder go by and every person leaving an imprint on them.

It had been over ten years since he had been to Courascant. It was the emblem of the core worlds, the capitol of an empire that stabilized through a system of democracy. It was a symbol of the Galactic Republic's awesome might, now shattered from within.

Yet, he knew that the republic was recovering. He could feel the stability in the structure of the senate. Corruption was decreasing, and it would only be a few years until the Republic had the huge power that it hadn't had since the war with Exar Kun.

But it all depended on the Jedi Council. There was now only four Jedi left. One had left to fight the True Sith, the other - Jayarede himself – was about to follow him, one was on Telos, but there was only one here – and she carried the answers that he was seeking. But Bao-Dur, Mira, Atton, Visas, Brianna, they had come already, rebuilding the order. It had been four months, and he hadn't seen them since. They were here, on Courascant, he was sure of that. But they were not in the temple. They had gone to Dantooine, training force adepts into Jedi, while Atris did the same thing on Telos. Jayarede did not know how many Jedi that they had mustered. It wasn't the full-fledged training of the normal Jedi, but they would train people for only a month, so they only chose specific force adepts. Some of them were even ex-Jedi. But those six masters would have trained no more than ten Jedi up till now. They had to be patient. Word would spread on the Jedi academies on Dantooine and Telos, and more would come.

But on Courascant, propaganda of the Republic ran deep, and Jedi were infamous.

His thoughts were cut off as he heard a man shouting.

"Give us all your credits, now!" he said. There were about four thugs – two humans, a Trandoshnan, and Aqualish - surrounding a young human boy who looked on older than about thirteen.

The boy stared at the thugs, fear flashing in his eyes. "I . . . I . . . no! You're not . . . you're not taking anything from me!" he snapped.

Before he could take a breath, the Trandoshnan bashed the boy on the side of the face with his fist. The boy screamed in agony, and crumpled to the floor.

But as soon as the fist made contact, the Trandoshnan found his body cut in half. Before the other three could react, Jayarede slashed his double-bladed lightsaber in the most complicated techniques, flying in the air so that he would not hit himself. In about two seconds, the other two thugs were down. Jayarede turned to the last human thug, lightsaber raised.

"Please!" pleaded the thug, "Please, Master Jedi! Don't kill me! I will do anything you ask, please!" Deep inside, he was not so worried. Jedi don't kill their prisoners.

But this Jedi was different. Jayarede drove his lightsaber through the thug's flesh, feeling the anger and hate flow through him, but defending the dark side with the determination of his compassion. After a while, he settled down and deactivated his lightsaber, sliding it back in his robe.

He stretched his hand out to the boy, who hesitated at first, but finally took it, letting him be heaved up.

"Are you all right?" asked Jayarede, his glowing eyes, cold voice, and darkened figure making him look like a man from the shadows.

The boy looked at him with suspicion, then replied, "I'm fine. I can take a few hard blows. I'm not a baby."

"Still," breathed Jayarede, "a young boy should not roam the lower city of Courascant at night. Go, head home now."

The boy shook his head. "I don't need to do anything. Even if I had a home, I would stay out here."

Jayarede sighed. Courascant was supposed to be the richest place in the galaxy. Yet the moment you go to the lower city, it is almost as bad as Nar'Shaada.

"You know much for a child. I am heading for the Capitol Center, with the senate building and the Jedi temple. Where can I find a speeder that can take me to the upper city stations, do you know?"

"Just go straight, through the street-walk, then at the station from there."

In a second Jayarede had leapt back into the night, following the boy's instructions as he took the train into the upper city, until he was dropped off at the outskirts of Capitol Center. It was quite sudden, moving from the industrial, pollution to the marvels of the upper city. There was not much traffic in the airways, and Jayarede was able to pick a taxi that took him at the pad near the senate building.

As he went off, he closed his eyes, and searched through the entire building, searching for a presence that reveled in the force. Then he suddenly found a source, a well of the source. He found a Jedi.

Jayarede continued on, following the presence, guiding him. Strangely, he was having distractions from the building itself.

'This very structure is built of the force.' He thought to himself, 'The Jedi Temple's aura is immersed in the force. I had almost forgotten. But even this senate building was held together with the force. It was almost a codex of life.' The very power lit him with a fire, and he suddenly felt stronger with the light side. But he concentrated on the one Jedi, the one who would have his answers, the ones he needed before going off into the Unknown Regions.

He followed through the passageways of the building, until he came upon a regular senator's room, except it was immersed with the force.

He slid the door open, and found a figure standing in the shadows.

"And so you have come, too. Only to leave again, I am sure. You follow him, don't you? You seek to find him, don't you?" echoed a woman's voice through the dark room. A strange aura surrounded her, a powerful one, but one that slipped Jayarede's memory.

"So you are the one that I was supposed to meet," breathed Jayarede out loud, "I was told to speak with you, last surviving member of the Old Jedi Order. Where has he gone? How can I find him?"

The woman in the shadows paused, and then continued, words escaping her mouth only when she knew what she was talking about. "If that is why you have come here, then you are wasting your time. I know nothing. I am only a broken Jedi, too stubborn to even follow the wishes of those who fight to the death for me. Do not be mistaken, I am no Jedi. Not any longer."

The woman came from the shadows, for the first time showing her face.

"I thought you died during the wars. I was obviously mistaken. Still following the broken traditions of the Jedi Order, Bastila, or have you finally seen the truth? You are not a broken Jedi. The Jedi are broken! I know you knew Revan, so where is he? Or did you abandon him, leave him when he needed you-"

"I have not left him, Exile!" jutted Bastila, her eyes fuming with the hatred she had run loose, "I have seen much in the ten years since that faithful day on Revan's flagship. I have finally learned the truth. The Sith are evil, but the Jedi are weak. I know now. This is why Revan left me here, so that I could find myself, find the true path."

Jayarede couldn't help but give a short laugh. Even though she was four years younger than him, Bastila had always received the best treatment on Dantooine. He would have bet himself a million credits that Bastila would never refer to the Jedi as weak. "So what are you going to do now Bastila?" asked Jayarede coldly, glowering at her. "Are you going to 'sap my will and give yourself the confidence so you could strike me down?" he asked in a mocking tone, but one without any sense of humor, only cold hate.

Bastila sighed. "Go ahead then, attack me, Jayarede. I can no longer feel any compassion. I am now a slave of my own self. Ever since Revan left, there has been a hole inside me; a wound that cannot be breached."

"Exile . . ." breathed Jayarede under his breath in disbelief.

"Exile." Responded Bastila, drawing her double bladed lightsaber.

Jayarede drew his, and he lunged at her.

Suddenly, they were twisting themselves into a vortex of exhilaration, blades cutting through the aura that surrounded them.

Their double-bladed sabers made them lose their center of balances at times, and Jayarede found he had to keep on leaping in the air so that he could unleash a series of blows on Bastila, else he would risk losing balance and impaling himself.

But something was wrong. Bastila was swinging her blade with a new urge, and he was losing his accuracy.

He suddenly figured out what was happening. He leapt back with the force to regroup, and then centered his thoughts.

Soon, he countered her Battle Meditation. Her eyes narrowed.

"You've become just like Atris!" shouted Jayarede, "you have fallen as surely as that schutta did!"

"I haven't fallen to the dark side," retorted Bastila, "The Sith are evil, but there powers are strong. I have finally realized what Revan had wanted for me to do all along. That is to use the dark side for the light side."

Jayarede withdrew his double bladed lightsaber, open to any attack. "You loved him, didn't you? I know you did. Somehow, I always did know. On Dantooine, it was just . . . I always thought that - He left you to fight the sith, didn't he?" He now slid his lightsaber in his grey Jedi robes.

Bastila drew hers, then closed her eyes, taking only a split second to vent her anger.

"I more than anyone else would know how you feel. Now tell me, where did he go?"

Bastila looked up to him, and then shook her head. "I was nothing more than a beacon. He kept me here so that I could guide you to find him. Guide myself to find him. He has gone through the Mandalore System, through there to the Unknown Regions."

Jayarede was silent. His soft breathing gave a tranquil feel to the room.

'The Mandalore System. I will go.'


	2. Chapter 2

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic III: Sith Empire 

Chapter Two:

The low hum of a lightsaber bent and twisted in the air as a man cut slid his blade through a heavily armored soldier's throat. The man was clad in black robes with black armor plating on his chest, a hood, and a mask once worn by Mandalore the Ultimate covering his face.

He held his arm high in the air proudly, his silver lightsaber lighting the night skies of Reckleyon. A confident roar, almost like a battle cry, was heard behind him, as about five hundred humans held their blasters and vibroswords in the air.

The man drew his lightsaber, and picked up a torn red flag containing a black symbol in the middle of it. It was the flag of the Galactic Republic. Though here it was known as the emblem of the Human Rebellion.

Revan, savior, conqueror, hero, and villain of the Galactic Republic and the Sith Minions – followers of the dark side and the civilians whom they fight for – had now emerged into the Unknown Regions, which were a place of dictatorship, oppression, and darkness. He knew that the True Sith, rulers of this side of the galaxy, would some day push Revan and the rebellion that he had created back to his side of the galaxy, where the Galactic Republic, Mandalorians, and the outer solar systems would face the Sith head on.

But he needed to buy them more time. Five years was not enough to completely restore a corrupted Republic that stretched through thousands and thousands of solar systems, or gather a shattered group of warriors who were now nothing but common mercenaries, or rebuild the order that he knew was shattered by Darth Nihilus. But the time for that was not now.

Revan trudged through the rocky terrain, the other five hundred men following him. This world reminded him of Korriban; it was a rocky terrain throughout the whole planet, and only one major city that spanned only three hundred kilometers wide. But it was crucial to the war,

Revan finally got to the drop of the cliff, where he overlooked a huge array of tents, with at least twenty thousand soldiers being housed in it. Revan saw a flying platform fly up to the top of the cliff. He stepped on to it alone, letting it take him down just past the entrance of the huge encampment. He shifted through the many tents, until he got to one particular tent that had two armed guards outside, who saluted at Revan as he walked through.

In the tent stood a man sipping some warm drink, and over looking a datapad set out on a plasteel table. Revan took a seat down next to the man, then took off his mask, revealing his face for the first time.

"Revan," stated the general as he motioned to the map.

"It seems that we live to fight another day, general. A few Sith spies that have been sent into orbit on this world have been found with about four hundred men on their backs. Luckily, we had over a thousand and were able to rout them out." Informed Revan with a strange unsettledness in his voice, as if something was going to go wrong, fast.

"That's good to hear. The Sith cannot find out that our headquarters is hidden in the city. If it is found out that the Reckleyon government has decided to house the rebellion, then the planet will be turned to dust. Well, one already has. I have some bad news for you, Revan. Dreclen has been bombed by the Sith fleet. Their spies picked up a small rebellion colony. But the mass communication was sensed there because they were in contact with us. They thought that out HQ was there, and destroyed the whole planet, the entire colony. Now they think that we are in disarray."

"Excellent," breathed Revan.

"What are you talking about? That colony was crucial to our cortosis trade! Our supplies and economy will take a major drop! Not to mention all those people who died."

"You don't understand," breathed Revan with slight emphasis on 'understand,' "they think that they hit a major military base. They will hold back their attacks, trying to see their next course of action. Their outposts will loosen, and their cutting off of trade routes and surprise attacks will cease dramatically. It will give us time to regroup, and prepare for the final move."

"The final move?"

"I never told where I came from didn't I?" said Revan with some cold aura about him. "I come from past the series of empty hyperspace, where thousands upon thousands of systems lay, most bound by the hand of the Galactic Republic. Why do you think I used the flag as it is? It is because that is the flag of the Republic. It has been . . . ruptured, but it is rebuilding rapidly. As you know, the Sith outnumber us fifty to one." He stopped, as if to let the general gather his thoughts.

"So, the great mystery of Revan's home world has been solved," muttered the general. "Wait, so the republic? It is what governs your side of the galaxy. But that would mean that it would have hundreds of billions of men at their disposal! We could-"

"No, general. It is _your _help that _we _could use. If we remain here, we will be defeated. It will take many months, but we will retreat back into the centers of the galaxy itself; to the Republic."

The general shook his head in disbelief. "It . . . it's impossible!" he retorted, suddenly angry, "how can we expect to move about four million soldiers and their families over such a vast distance? How do you expect to have these humans – who have spent their life here, all that they have ever known – to suddenly move to the other side of the galaxy? It's impossible! It would take years to do such a feat, not months. That is, if you manage to convince them to leave! And what about the humans that do not follow the rebellion?"

"They will die!" hissed Revan coldly, "and those who do not follow us will continue to be oppressed by the Sith. They have no choice. And I will bring the truth to their faces! Those who try to stop us will die!"

After a few seconds of calming down, Revan shockingly noticed the hate in his voice; the cold determination. He had been like this ever since he had left. After leaving his entire life behind him to come to the Unknown regions, he had never been at peace with himself. Then there were also his friends. But that was it! Without the pact of a warrior, coded with honor, without someone to rely on him, not only physically, but personally as well, without someone to swear themselves for what he truly his, and without love, he was wounded.

_There is no emotion, there is peace_. 'Bah!' he thought to himself, 'there is _always_ emotion.' _There is no Passion, there is no serenity. _Oh, it was all about passion to him. He could find no serenity. He was lost.

"Revan."

Revan looked at the general, who walked out of the room, leaving him to the mess of the force that lay in the room.

Revan leaned lazily back on his chair in the cantina. He had long brown hair that combed down in something like a mullet, except it only came down past his collar and covered half of his ears. Stubble had grown everywhere on his face from long battles, trekking through the mud, and constant stress beating down on him. His eyes were also tired, growing even a little red. And though he had light skin, it was tanned and roughened. He was here for information. He needed to know what the local populace thought of Revan, the insane person who had come out of nowhere to fight the Sith Empire, which enslaved almost all of this part of the galaxy. It had been three months since that day on Reckleyon, and the rebellion was still getting ready to move. Only a few months later, they would have left the galaxy, and a month or so of hyperspace travel after that, they would have arrived at the outer rim of the Republic.

He had seen a sith before. They were not human. They carried the human form, walked like humans, talked in the same voice as humans, and were only a few inches taller than the average human. But behind all of that red armor plating, laid crimson skin, blank golden eyes, blue hair, and very long, pointed ears. But it was not their difference to humans that was scary; it was their similarity. It was almost as if billions of sith had one day come to the other side of the galaxy to settle, and they eventually evolved into humans.

But Revan knew that was not true. He knew it wasn't, because as he stared into their eyes, his lightsaber pointed at their throats for the final blow, he saw the force in all of its forms. He saw a codex that was life and death.

But they were evil. Well, at least their idea was evil. They had almost all base human emotions, but they also had a bloodlust; they were bringers of death and a new life, a life of hunger.

"So, I see you're here again."

Revan looked up to see the human bartender wiping the table.

"Well, not many of us here in this part of the galaxy," he said roughly, "the Sith come in and take this whole sector of the galaxy! So, you'd understand if I'm glad to see another human here. So, what's your name?"

"Kale Chaal," sighed Revan, referring to the name that the Jedi Council had programmed into his mind seven years ago. Revan looked up at the man as he sipped his Juma Juice. "So," Revan got the bartender's attention, "what do you think of Revan's crusade against the Empire?"

The bartender sighed and looked Revan in the eye. "Listen, Kale. Many people follow Revan, and the vast majority are humans. Revan did not launch his crusade as a fight for freedom, but I think he did it as a fight for defense. He isn't from this sector of the galaxy. He wants to destroy the Sith so that they don't attack the place where he is from. And yet he says he brings us freedom. Well, let me ask this; what happens if the Sith are defeated? Will this sector of the galaxy be able to recover? Will Revan abandon us after the Sith are defeated? Will he come back with his own fleet to this weakened galaxy, and conquer it? I do not trust him. But hordes of humans follow him, they follow him to the death."

When the Bartender left into the room behind to get more drinks, Revan sighed in frustration.

'Is this the morale that I am receiving?' he thought worriedly. But everything the bartender said was true. There would be no stability after the defeat of the Sith.


	3. Dark Scoundrel

Chapter 3: Dark Scoundrel

"So, who exactly are we looking for? And why do we need a pilot?" asked Bastila as they walked through the lower city of Coruscant, the industrial area around mirroring the poverty that came across every turn.

But Jayarede had learned to use it. He had learned to feel the pain, the suffering of those around him, and he looked at it from all perspectives, all points of view, until he could find the true problem. It helped his perception of the force increase, and it made him wiser and stronger with the force if he could feel the problem.

"Jayarede, I asked you a question."

"You'll see."

Jayarede could see wisps of his breaths as he spoke, the rain pouring down on the cold Coruscant streets. But Jayarede's water-proof grey-Jedi cloak covered the black leather robes he wore inside, the same robes that the Sith Assassins on Peragus had worn. The only part of his dark skin that showed was his eyes and stubble-covered face, as his hood covered the fairly long black hair.

He was aware of everything around him, from Bastila's steady breathing, to the presence of revenge and darkness that told him that they were getting close.

"Wait. I feel something . . . something of the dark side. Almost like a power," whispered Bastila as they stopped near an alleyway.

"That means that we are getting close," said Jayarede.

"You seek help from a . . . a Sith?"

"Don't be so quick to judge the Sith. You use the dark side now, so technically, you too are part Sith, even if you do use the light side to fuel you. The dark side carries more than you know. There are not only Sith." He said ominously.

He tore off his cloak, letting his assassin robes show. "Wait here," he whispered.

He quickly crept past the alleyway, but not after activating his Eradu Stealth Generator. A few steps in, he saw about five aliens of different races surrounding a man. The man had light skin and short brown hair that spiked out at the front. But that held no loom over his face, which had the strange feeling that he was always suspicious that something was watching over his back. His eyes were almost evil, much like Jayarede's eyes, except that his irises and pupils were blank. There was some edge to him that hinted he was in his early twenties. He had a menacing presence, but he was actually quite handsome.

So you here. We be looking for you for long time. Big bounty on head, could give us fortune! laughed a typically slimy rodian with a heavy rifle.

The man's fingers twitched towards his belt pistol, but his arm was left unmoving.

Jayarede took the two Echani Pistols that he kept in the small packs under the leather flaps on his assassin's robe that covered his thigh and quads both back and front, neatly wrapped around his black leather pant.

'A Jedi Watchman always has a handy pistol at his side,' he thought humorously.

This is enough! Let's get him! Roared a twi'lek who lunged at the man with his vibroblade. But before his blade could come down, two laser shots were engrained in his chest, and he fell limply to the floor.

"Anyone comes near me; dead." His words were short and simple, yet he spoke with a menacing, intimidating voice.

Four aliens were left. They looked at each other, and nodded.

Fire! Roared a Trandoshan. The Trandoshan ran towards him with his vibrosword, but was shot down. The man quickly feinted to the right to avoid a blaster bolt, then shot down the Devaronian that shot it. But before he could react, the rodian rained a score of rapid fire on the man, who was caught on his side. His thin shirt burned as the blaster fire tore his skin.

He screamed in pain, crumpled to the ground, and tried desperately to breathe normally as the Rodian crept up to him, ready to fire the final killing blow.

But that was when Jayarede came in. Without making a sound, he slid to the left, positioned both of his pistols until he knew one would hit the back of the alien's head, while the other would catch his thigh.

He pulled the trigger with force and retracted it back with a steady jerk, spurring the blast off with extra propelling force. The laser bolts flew and spun through the air until they met their intended destination. Jayarede smiled coldly. The place where he aimed at was a . . . a beheading point. The Rodian's slime head slipped off and rolled on the floor, whereas the body fell lightly to the ground with a thump.

Just the moment Jayarede deactivated his Eradu Stealth Generator, Bastila came running around the alley.

"What happened?!" she asked, exasperated.

Jayarede held up a hand to silence her, after he had slipped his Echani Pistols back into the small slots. His eyes were on the man, who was breathing heavily.

The man winced as he stood up to lean against the wall. Blood was still gushing out of his stomach and side, his skin left bare and exposed to the pouring rain.

"Who . . . cough, cough, who are you?" he rasped into the air. Strangely, his irises and pupils had returned after the Rodian fell, making his eyes completely normal.

Jayarede walked forward until he was right in front of the man, with Bastila right behind him, her hands itching for her lightsaber. "Calm down . . ." breathed Jayarede irritatingly as he saw Bastila's narrowed eyes, and uncomfortable aura. "Don't rip him to shreds. He's just what we're looking for."

"What makes you think I am going to help you, _Jedi?_" hissed the man coldly. "I'm Drendellean of Gourged. One of the finest bounty hunters in all the core worlds. So if you think that saving my life will get you my loyalty, then think again, Jedi!"

"Well, it sure looks like the 'Greatest Bounty Hunter of the Core Worlds' has his hands on top of things. Getting you stomach blasted open and cracking your ribs is all in a day's work, isn't it? You're too tough for a Rogue, too smart for a soldier, and too arrogant for a scout. So let me make a proposal to you, scoundrel. I've heard of your skills. If you ensign with us, I'll give you ten thousand credits once we reach our destination."

Drendellean cocked an eyebrow. After narrowing his eyes, hiding his deep thought behind a wall of coldness and hate that was sprawled on his face, he finally spoke in a voice rough, yet which the same volume effect of a whisper, "Alright, Jedi. I'll be your pilot, slicer, repair man, pistol-jockey, or clown; any of those five things. If you want a heavily-armed assault marine with five tons of armor on their back and the stiffness of a bodyguard, then you have the wrong man. I'm just in this for the credits. Oh, and yes. I've had bones broken and organs ripped open many times. I . . . have my ways of surviving." His hand seemed to twitch toward an array of stims on his pack.

Jayarede gave a satisfied smile. He simply started walking, and went past Bastila. Drendellean followed as he injected the stims in his side, ignoring the gushing blood with an aura of endurance. As he walked by, he saw Bastila narrow her eyes, but then follow behind him.

"The Capitol ships are in position, Commander. All of the soldiers and their families have boarded on the Interdictor ships, as you ordered. But, why put the civilians on the capitols ships, commander?"

Revan scratched the stubble on his face before he put his mask back on, hiding whatever expressions that could betray him. "We don't have enough money for transports, plus they will be well protected in the defenses. But anyways, how long should it be before we are in hyperspace travel?"

"One week, sir."

Revan ignored him as he looked at the huge hangar, holding the Interdictor ship, Fire Siphoner II, a duplicate of Saul Karath's Leviathan, and a second to Revan's old flagship during the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil wars, and his new flagship now. Their entire fleet was now in space, about fifty capitol ships in a formation, with the Fire Siphoner II in the middle. Only about eighty thousand people had joined them, and only about thirty thousand of them being soldiers. Revan knew he was leaving the other hundred thousand humans to die in suspicion of treason, and he knew that he should have felt guilty about what he did, but he somehow felt no remorse, no pity. It had been that way ever since he had his memories back after the Star Forge, after he had 'saved' the Republic.

"Sir?" asked the captain. He had very dark skin, and a shaven head.

"Huh? Oh, yes, very good. Once we are in hyperspace, it should only be three weeks after we enter hyperspace before we get to the Mandalore System, our destination."

"Sir," objected the captain, "it will take more life three or four months to cover so many light-years."

"You underestimate the reliability of the Rakata Capitol ships," hissed Revan. He suddenly faltered, realizing who he was sounding like.

"Yes, sir!"

As he left, Revan for the first time thought what it would be like to see everyone that he left behind again. He knew one thing. The Republic would be stable and ready, under the flag of Carth Onasi. And the Jedi would be ready, by the help of an old friend. He had seen the future, and he had seen the return of the Jedi Exile.

And the galaxy would soon see the return of Revan. Savior, conqueror, hero, villain, Jedi, Sith, Commander.

Chapter Four: The Front Lines

"Well, this sure beats the streets," scoffed Drendellean as he laid down on one of the sofas in Bastila's apartment in the living room.

"Get off! I just decided not to chop you to pieces, and I'm not going to let you lie on my couch!" shrieked Bastila as Drendellean was thrown into the wall with the force.

"Relax, Princess. The mean little bounty hunter isn't going to ruin your little chair," mocked Jayarede, who couldn't help but give out a laugh.

Drendellean heaved himself up, wiping the blood away from the nose he had cut while being thrown to the wall. "Look, Jedi. I sit where I want. You think I trust a Jedi? I saw what happened on- Never mind. Thing is, I know you might have a thing for a smuggler, but I do what I want." His words were hissed, and every sound he made, it was of hate, anger, passion.

Bastila let out a breath. "The Dark Side runs through you strongly, almost as if you are a . . . a shrine of darkness. If you try one thing, you will be beheaded before you can say 'dark Jedi!'"

"Shut up! Both of you! You can kill each other after we reach the Mandalore system. But for now, we need to stay on the task at hand!" hissed Jayarede. Bastila and Drendellean glowered at each other, neither one giving up. Tensions gripped inside the three of them, until Bastila finally backed down. Drendellean grinned at his victory, and turned to on of the bedrooms (Bastila took the main bedroom, while Jayarede slept on the floor in the mediation chambers).

After he closed the door, Jayarede turned to Bastila. "Why don't you trust him? When I first saw you again, I felt your mind's structure and your underlying power of the light, yet you were fueled by the passion and the determination, the anger, of the dark side. Tell me, when we were at the academy, you were always the Master's Pet, a follower of the light side, always scolding us when we did something wrong as if you were one four years older, not us. Since when did you become a gray Jedi?"

Bastila turned to the window, laying her hand at the windowsill, the loud noises of Coruscant raging outside. "It- it's a long story."

"Oh, just shut up and spit out the damn story!"

Bastila sighed. "It started when Revan turned to the dark side and led his armada out against the Republic. In the middle of the war, I had to face the daunting task of leading an assault on his flagship and capturing him on the bridge. You don't understand what I was feeling, knowing that the man that I loved, that was always there for me, was either going to kill me and the other Jedi, or I would kill him with the help of the Jedi. I knew capture was not a choice. So as I faced him on the bridge, time seeming to stop, Malak fired on the bridge and Revan was knocked out, almost dead."

Bastila stopped for a while. Jayarede was listening intently at the story, taking in every word and its meaning, trying to work out all the pieces. "And then?"

"Well, I couldn't leave him there for dead. I should have, for the sake of the galaxy, but I couldn't. I took him to the Jedi Council, and they reprogrammed his damaged mind, and made him a smuggler, who was hired under my command."

"You brainwashed Revan?!" rasped Jayarede in disbelief, and signs of anger. "You mean he forgot about everything, about you, about Malak, about me? He forgot all about his best friends and his lover? Or did you love him, only used him as a tool to of the Jedi. It wouldn't be the first time!"

His words hit Bastila like a rod of cortosis. Tears welled up behind her eyes, as she masked what she could in a contortion of emotions.

Jayarede took a step back, realizing what he had just said. "I'm . . . I'm sorry. Continue."

Bastila took a gulp, then breathed slowly. "So when we were on the same ship, it was destroyed, and he, I, and a Republic war hero Carth Onasi, crash landed on Taris."

"Admiral Onasi?" asked Jayarede as he remembered the conversation with him before he went to Malachor. "So you mean your ship was the Endar Spire?"

"Yes. Anyways, I was a prisoner from a gang. Revan eventually was able to free me, and we got off the planet with the help of a Mandalorian named Canderous-"

"Ordo," finished Jayarede in disbelief.

"Y-yes, Ordo." 'How the hell did he know that?' "Anyways, we got off Taris, which was then bombed by Malak. We went to the academy on Dantooine, where Revan trained to be a Jedi Sentinel, like you and me and like he did before, and we went on a quest to find the star forge. Through the course of the journey, Revan followed truly to the path of the light side. But as we got to the third star map – which were clues to finding the star forge, which you already know about – he started to breed anger and hate, and started to get unsure and confused. Before we went into space after finding the third of four star map, he . . . he said he loved me."

There was a long silence. It was now raining heavily outside again, thunder now sounding.

"Did you still love him?" asked Jayarede.

Bastila sighed. "Yes. Yes I did. And, for the first time in eight years, I said it, and memories from before the wars came rushing back. We . . . decided to keep it off until the end of the mission."

"And then something terrible happened, didn't it?"

"Yes. We were pulled in from orbit by the Leviathan, as you know about. We managed to escape, but before we did, we faced Malak. He and Revan dueled, but Malak stopped. He said that there was more of his old self in him than he expected. Revan didn't know what he was talking about, so he revealed Revan's secret. He was . . . shocked, to say the least. He blamed me for not telling him, and a blast of anger, hate, confusion, and love burst through him. He dueled Malak again, but this time, he pushed Malak to his limits. He fought like a Sith. But eventually, Malak defeated him. But before he could pull the finishing blow, I came in and held him off so that Revan and Carth could get back to the Ebon Hawk.

"I could feel through our Force Bond that he was shattered, confused, and angry, as they went for the last star map. But Malak turned me to the dark side. He told me that if I became his apprentice, Revan would be spared. I accepted, but I was unable to control my emotions, so I fell. We then met on a Rakatan temple, where we chose the light side over me. We again met at the star forge, when all I wanted was to kill him and prove myself. But he defeated me, and he turned me back to the light side. He said he still loved me. And I . . . I had to face the truth. I had become a monster, and yet he still stood up for me, even after all I had done to him. I was redeemed. The rest you know. He killed Malak, became a hero, he left, everyone was shocked, thought he was dead, then moved on."

"You still haven't answered my question," observed Jayarede. "How come you became a gray Jedi after he redeemed you?"

Bastila turned to Jayarede for the first time. "After that, it all went well. Revan became a Knight, and a Jedi Watchman soon after, the first in many years. But, I could never turn back to the light fully. And neither could Revan. So he embraced the entity of the force as it is truly, and so did I. I had little choice, anyways. I had to leave the order, for it was corrupt. The old order was a democracy, where the Jedi Watchman would oversee the Jedi Masters, who would command the Jedi Weapon Masters, who would oversee the Watchman, who would all govern over the Knights and Padawans and Apprentices. It was then nothing more than an Oligarchy. The Watchman and Weapon Masters are gone, and the arrogant Masters rule with the light side, but a manipulated light side. Nihilus did a favor by whipping them out.

"But again to Revan, when he killed Malak, the swirl of the force caused Revan to become Revan again, starting right where he left off on his flagship. And everything that his programmed identity did, even defeating Malak seconds earlier, became a distant memory. And he remembered you . . . saying something before you went back after Malachor. And it told him you would return. So I have been waiting this whole time, waiting for you, as he told me to. Are you satisfied now?"

That last statement hung in the air. Did he know what he wanted to? Yes. Was he satisfied? No. He opened his mouth to say something, but turned around and headed for the meditation room, while Bastila went to her room.

Drendellean lay down on the bed, looking out of the window into the Coruscant night. He sighed as his irises and pupils once again went blank, but then back to normal after a few seconds, when he exhaled. He had to get them to the Mandalore System. And it wasn't just for the credits.

There was a vibration in his pocket, so he took out his small holodisk and laid it on his hand, standing up straight. A figure then appeared.

He was clad in greenish-gray body armor, with a huge rifle in his hands that looked like it weighed a ton. Since he wore no helmet, and the ragged face of a man in his sixties with battle scars all over his face, and a tired, ravaged look in his eye gave a subtle edge to his already menacing look. But despite his age, hair was combed back and touched the tip of his armor. The hair looked like it was newly grown after a long time with a short cropped style. Matching his hair, a thick gray beard worked across his face, and anyone who fought in the Mandalorian wars would know exactly who that was.

"I have the Exile, Mandalore. My dark aura was able for him to find me. The plan worked. The best thing is that his intended destination was the Mandalore system in the first place," said Drendellean as he went on one knee in front of the holodisk, bending his head in a slight bow.

When he spoke, the man's voice was rough and deep. "Good. I have gathered the Mandalore clans together, and we are now moving to the Mandalore system, our old fortress before the Wars, and the place of our founding. We will then settle on Mandalore Prime, where the old city of the Mandalorians will once again shroud in glory. But you must bring him here!" the last sentence was hissed, cold, and menacing. "I don't need to tell you the consequences if he is dead. Am I understood, scoundrel?"

Drendellean's face remained passive. "Yes, Mandalore. But may I ask one thing?"

"Speak."

"Do you intend to interrogate the Exile after we bring you to him, for answers?" Drendellean asked with a gleefully cold tone in his voice.

"The Exile is an ally."

Slight disappointment emanated from Drendellean. "What about the Jedi whom I travel with? Bastila Shan? What about her?"

"She, too, is an ally. We will need her and the Exile to fight the true enemy."

"Revan!" Drendellean breathed, half to himself. It was almost as if the pieces were fitting together.

The man shook his head in the projector. "No. Revan, in fact, is the one whom we all serve. He is the main catalyst in the war that is to come. We Mandalorians are just here to aid him. And you are the one that will take Jayarede, who will take the Jedi. Don't fail me, or else it will be the last oath you ever break." And the hologram disappeared.

Drendellean got up, put the holodisk back in his pocket, and headed out into the main room. So this was it. Everything was going to happen in the Mandalore system. The battle of the time, and he would be there to see it, he would be part of it. He was too young to fight in the Mandalore wars or Jedi Civil War, but now, the fate of the galaxy for Millennia, even eons, to come, was on his hands. He instinctually knew that the Mandalore system would be only the first step in something big. He could feel it. He knew it.

There was a low rumble. Drendellean looked out at the landing pad that was connected out of this apartment, and saw a ship dock. Immediately, Bastila and Jayarede came rushing out. Jayarede smiled slightly, but Bastila went pale.

"It . . . it c-can't be! How? Who- Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?!" splattered Bastila, exasperated.

"It looks like the Hawk has caught it's prey. Oh, the fastest ship in the galaxy. Let's go." They went through the door out of the living room, where it connected out of a landing pad, and the Ebon Hawk stood. A small utility droid came rushing out the loading ramp.

It started bleeping hysterically as it reached Jayarede, it's "eye" flashing on and off as if it were malfunctioning.

"No," muttered Bastila. "No way. It . . . it can't be. If you were the one he found, then . . . "

"Then what?" said Jayarede, "So I found the Hawk one day. Surprised? Come on. Let's get to the ship. Now let's see how good of a pilot you really are, bounty hunter."

Drendellean's eyebrow cocked, giving a, 'All right, I'm listening. What's your offer?' look.

Jayarede smiled devilishly, then looked out at the sky. "The Coruscant blockade lies above this planet's orbit. The entire Republic fleet is orbiting this solar system of the core worlds, and Coruscant is the one Core World especially guarded. About a hundred thousand Capitol ships – containing a total of about eighty-million Republic troops – Are covering this system. I am now a Hero – confidentially, of course – to the Republic fleet. If they identify us, we will be brought in for questioning, and that won't be good, for they will be on our backs this whole journey. I need you to use maneuvering, stealth, cloaking, and good timing to get us out of here unseen and undetected. Can you do that, scoundrel?"

Drendellean's expression looked passive, with his regular tainted apathy to it, until something of a slight smiled crept on his face. "You're crazy. I like crazy."

"Kelborn, I need an update. How many of our Capitol ships have already landed on Mandalore Prime? What clans did they hold?" commanded Mandalore, his voice rough and intimidating, as always. His helmet only added to his menacing aura.

Kelborn bowed curtly at Mandalore, who was looking out from the bridge of the Mandalorian Capitol ship. "Clan Ferdorn, Clan Dusk, and Clan Bullfire have already landed and are now colonizing Mandalore City. We now have about five hundred Capitol ships in space, and about fifteen on ground in Mandalore City. Our current soldier count is two million Mandalorians, around."

Mandalore continued to stare out at the Mandalore System, at the different planets that were now being colonized. There were four planets in the system, including Mandalore Prime, their new be of operations. 'Two million,' he thought as he gazed out. There weren't even seven hundred soldiers when the Exile arrived on Dxun. It had been six months since the destruction of Malachor, and the Exile had given him the same order as Revan had given him. Gather the Mandalorian clans. And he did. Traveling the space, he found thousands of different clans. Turned out Ordo wasn't the only group to gather themselves. He then sent the clans to Dxun, an excess of almost two million, and here they were, in the Mandalore system. It was miraculous, after only thirteen years, the Mandalorians were a force again – nothing, compared to the Republic – but a force growing and powerful.

He remembered his first battle, as he and the Mandalorians had joined with Exar Kun forty-five years ago. He was only fifteen, but he remembered the thrill of the battle. And here he was, sixty years old, now joining forces with the Republic.

"Mandalore?"

"Yes, very good. Prepare a shuttle. I wish to see Mandalore prime. I haven't seen it since we began our crusade twenty five years ago, and I need to oversee the colonization. You keep the fleet in order and control the colonization of the other three planets. Give me constant updates. I'll be in my chambers. Any who disturb me without a call first will be stripped of their rank and imprisoned. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Mandalore!"

He walked half-subconsciously to his room. This ship was almost exactly like the Ravager, another Mandalorian vessel. Yet this ship was not damaged, and it had a metallic feel to it. On the inside, it was completely different. The walls were made of gleaming metal, lighting the whole ship from the inside. They were a lot like the Republic capitol ships, but with a more organic architecture. It was even menacing, to some extent.

Mandalore sighed as he got to his room – it was small, one-man, with a bathroom door in the corner and only one bed on the wall – and as he laid his hologram projector on his bed. Suddenly, a man in black robes and dark-gray chest plating appeared over the projector.

Mandalore bowed on one knee in front of the man. "We have begun colonizing the Mandalore system, and Mandalore city is already in full battle readiness once we station our troops there. We will be ready for whatever your little enemies could throw against us!" Mandalore proudly proclaimed.

It was clear from the hologram that the man – who also had a great black hood covering his hair and head – had a faint smile on his lips, and his fierce eyes lit a little. "Once again, you underestimate your opponent, Canderous. These True Sith are as strong as a Mandalorian. The fact that they outnumber your small army twenty-thousand to one doesn't help matters, either. You said you had two million this morning, right? I need at least fife-hundred thousand more. These are the front lines, Canderous! Surely you, of all people, should know that keeping that held for a long time could be crucial in a war! Don't get too comfortable. You'll be forced to retreat soon enough, where you will return on Dxun. Oh, and how is the colonization there?"

Mandalore slightly flinched at the sound of that name, 'Canderous.' He had not been called that in a long time. "It is going well. We have installed three new Battle camps. And Onderon is getting daily reinforcements from the Republic. There are now almost a million soldiers stationed around Onderon, them and the Republic. That whole system is well guarded."

Revan nodded. "Good. They will be crucial in the war to come. And so will you, Canderous. As Mandalore, I tell you in advance that you will be given a job in this war, you and your Mandalorian allies.

"I leave you to the colonization. Make sure the defenses are strong. We need more reinforcements." And he vanished.

Mandalore got to his feet. Thoughts were racing through his mind, stopped by a ringing sound.


End file.
